Can former Bamban mayor Alice Guo still run in the 2025 midterm elections?
As the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 national and local elections commenced on Tuesday, Oct. 1, reports that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo might file her COC for the upcoming elections also resurfaced.
In a previous interview, Guo, a suspected Chinese spy, expressed her intention to run for reelection. However, her lawyer Stephen David said that Guo's future political plans will depend on how events will unfold.
But the real question is, after being removed from her office due to her alleged ties with illegal POGOs and other cases, including a graft case, can Guo still run in the 2025 elections?
In a report by ABS-CBN News, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has said that Guo may still submit her COC if she wants to run again since there has been no final verdict in the many cases and claims against her.
"Ministerial po ang duty namin kaya po tatanggapin namin lahat ng Certificates of Candidacy," Comelec Chairman George Garcia told the media outlet, adding if the agency found enough basis to file an election offense to Guo, they can prevent the latter from running.
“Sa amin kasi kapag nagkaroon ng desisyon ang Comelec en banc, ang desisyon ng en banc ay executory kahit na naka-appeal pa siya sa Korte Suprema,” Garcia explained.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Menardo also emphasized the same matter to One PH when asked if Guo can still "theoretically, hypothetically and technically" vie for a government post.
He responded, "Kung ang tanong if she can still file yung kanyang certificate of candidacy, the answer is yes and ministerial sa part ng Comelec' yun na tanggapin ang kanyang certificate of candidacy."
Menardo also noted that Guo's qualification to run or not is a "totally different matter" as there is no final ruling has been reached regarding her cases.
"Yung mga cases that have been filed against Alice Guo, none of them has achieved finality."
On the other hand, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said that Guo, who is detained at the Pasig City female dormitory, will need a court order to personally file her COC, which will allow her to leave the facility.
"Kung gusto niya mag-file personally, kailangan ng court order at pag pumayag po ang court na lumabas siya we will comply and we will ensure na secure ang magiging proseso,” Jail Superintendent Jayrex Bustinera, BJMP spokesperson told reporters.
Bustinera also noted that they have experienced cases in which jailed individuals were allowed to run in past elections as long as their cases were still pending. Nonetheless, he said it would be better if Guo designates an official representative to file her COC instead, depending on the Comelec.
“Kung sakali naman pong magfafile sya, basta may court order kung papayagan siya ng court ay ilalabas namin, kung hindi naman po its much better na representative niya ang magfile dyan kung papayagan ng Comelec," Bustinera said.
"Again, depende po 'yan sa comelec at depende sa court,” he emphasized.
Senators call for vigilance
Meanwhile, Senators, including Senate President Francis Escudero urged voters to be cautious about their choices in the upcoming elections.
In a press conference, Escudero pointed out that there's a potential for candidates like Guo to win the election as the Comelec's role in accepting candidacy documents is primarily ministerial in nature.
"May posibilidad pa rin yun. Trabaho nating lahat na maging mapagmatyag at tiyakin na hindi sana mangyari yun. At kung mangyayari man, agad mahuhuli," Escudero said.
However, he emphasized that a candidate's eligibility could be revoked if he or she failed to meet the criteria of citizenship, age, residency, voter registration, or literacy.
"Lima ang qualifications. Kung hindi mo taglay ang isa sa lima, pwede kang ipa-disqualify bilang isang kandidato," he noted.
Senator Grace Poe, on the other hand, said that the "Comelec should be able to screen stringently the aspirant's documents and qualifications, such as the most basic requirement whether he or she is a Filipino."
She warned that the agencies should be cautious and "see to it that we don't have another Alice Guo in our midst."
Aspiring candidates have begun submitting their candidacies as the Comelec officially opened the filing process on Oct. 1. Those eyeing a government position have until Oct. 8 to formalize their bids.
According to Comelec, the May 12, 2025 elections will have 18,272 national and local political posts, which is 200 more than the 2022 polls.
The first day saw a handful of personalities filing their COCs—from veteran politicians, celebrities, content creators, and even former nuisance candidates in the previous 2022 poll.
Meanwhile, the months-long investigation into illegal POGO hubs in the Philippines is set to continue.
Guo is in the middle of it as she is allegedly linked to two POGOs in Bamban: Hongsheng Gaming Technology Incorporated, which was raided in February 2023, and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated, which was raided in March this year. These were likewise accused of trafficking and scams.
